Rankings · Jobs

Highest self-employed by state

Share of workers who are self-employed.

This measure has no better end. The order describes the states, it does not rank them — see the other direction.

Workers in their own unincorporated business, as a share of the civilian employed. High in farming and ranching counties, in resort towns built on trades and services, and in places with a strong freelance economy. Excludes people who incorporated, so it understates small business owners somewhat.

  1. 1Montana9.0%
  2. 2Vermont8.7%
  3. 3Maine8.3%
  4. 4South Dakota7.9%
  5. 5Idaho7.6%
  6. 6North Dakota7.5%
  7. 7California7.4%
  8. 8Hawaii6.9%
  9. 9New Mexico6.9%
  10. 10Tennessee6.9%
  11. 11Texas6.9%
  12. 12Oregon6.8%
  13. 13Wyoming6.8%
  14. 14Oklahoma6.7%
  15. 15Louisiana6.6%
  16. 16Arkansas6.5%
  17. 17Florida6.5%
  18. 18Iowa6.4%
  19. 19Nebraska6.3%
  20. 20Alaska6.2%
  21. 21Colorado6.2%
  22. 22Connecticut6.2%
  23. 23New Hampshire6.2%
  24. 24Arizona6.0%
  25. 25Kansas6.0%
  26. 26South Carolina5.9%
  27. 27Missouri5.7%
  28. 28Mississippi5.7%
  29. 29North Carolina5.7%
  30. 30New York5.7%
  31. 31Georgia5.6%
  32. 32Nevada5.6%
  33. 33Alabama5.5%
  34. 34Massachusetts5.5%
  35. 35Rhode Island5.5%
  36. 36Washington5.5%
  37. 37Kentucky5.4%
  38. 38Minnesota5.4%
  39. 39Michigan5.2%
  40. 40Maryland5.1%
  41. 41Wisconsin5.1%
  42. 42New Jersey5.0%
  43. 43Ohio5.0%
  44. 44Pennsylvania5.0%
  45. 45Utah5.0%
  46. 46Virginia4.9%
  47. 47Illinois4.7%
  48. 48Indiana4.7%
  49. 49District of Columbia4.4%
  50. 50Delaware4.4%
  51. 51West Virginia4.0%
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau. · How this is built